California Biographies
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Source:
History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin
Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from
its earliest settlement to the present time.
Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M.
The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905
Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176
SAMUEL LOUIS GIVENS. The Givens family is too closely connected with the early history of
Mariposa and Merced counties to need any introduction to the readers of the history of the
San Joaquin valley. A worthy scion of this distinguished family is found to-day in the person
of Samuel L. Givens. At the age of ten he accompanied his parents to California and in 1879
purchased his home ranch in Merced county, thirteen miles east of Merced,, and upon this
place he still lives. Born in Union county, Ky., November 8, 1842, Mr. Givens is the youngest
of nine children born to Thomas and Catherine D. F. (Richards) Givens, the former born in
Virginia December 1, 1798, and the latter born in Kentucky February 1, 1805. The nine chil-
dren born to Thomas Givens and wife are as follows : Robert R.. deceased ; Eleazar T., born
October 17, 1828; Matilda, deceased; Mrs. Jane R. Pool, of Stockton, Cal, born March 7, 1832 ;
Catherine A., deceased ; Thomas Jr., deceased ; John H, of San Francisco, born October 15,
1838; Mrs. Mary R. Thrift, of Stockton; and Samuel Louis. December 24, 1852, Mr. and Mrs.
Givens with their family started for California, reaching New Orleans January 1, 1853, and on
January 4 they embarked on board the Pampero bound for Greytown. which they reached
twelve days later. Crossing the Isthmus on the backs of mules, they then took passage on the
Brother Jonathan, bound for San Francisco, which they reached February 2 of the same year.
In Mariposa county the father purchased the Texas ranch, containing ten hundred and forty
acres, and this ranch is now owned by Samuel L. and his sister-in-law, Mrs. Thomas Givens.
Here the father died in i860.
From his tenth year Mr. Givens was educated in Mariposa county, with a finishing course at
the University of the Pacific in Santa Clara county. His education completed, he continued to
remain on the old home place until 1870, purchasing that year the ranch upon which he still
lives, in Merced county, and upon this place the intervening years of his life have been spent.
His home place contains five hundred and twenty acres devoted to grain, stock and grazing,
and in addition he rents three thousand acres in Mariposa county, the latter utilized solely in
raising stock. He has in all six hundred head of stock.
December 20, 1877, in Mariposa county, Mr. Givens was united in marriage with Miss Susan
L. Wills, who was born in the above named county December 9, 1855, a daughter of Benjamin
Wills, a native of Alabama : he married Miss Amanda Cathey. Mr. Wills made his first trip to
California in 1849 and afterward went back to Alabama for his family, who crossed overland to
Mariposa county. Mr. and Mrs. Givens have but one child, a son, Archibald. They are members
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Politically Mr. Givens is a Democrat. Personally he is
active and well built, and claims a popularity which is justly due.
Merced County Biographies
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
SAMUEL LEWIS GIVENS
Of the pioneers living in Merced County, there are few who can so
clearly recount the early stories and incidents that happened in the lives of
the men and women who blazed the trail for the generations that are to follow,
as can Samuel Lewis Givens, the retired rancher of the Bear Creek district, near
Planada. A representative of a distinguished family who came to California in
1853, he was born in Union County, Ky., November 8, 1842, the youngest of ten
children born of the marriage of Thomas and Catherine D. F. (Richards) Givens.
His father was born in Virginia on December 1, 1798, and his mother was born in
Kentucky on February 1, 1805. They were married on June 23, 1825, and became the
parents of the following children: Robert R., born April 7, 1826, who now has a
daughter Ada teaching school in Merced; Lewis R., born June 21, 1827, and died
July 22, 1840; Eleazar, born October 17, 1828; Matilda L., born May 24, 1830,
died August 7, 1853; Jane R., born March 7, 1832, married D. M. Pool of Mariposa
County, who served in the State legislature; Catherine A., born November 17,
1833, married A. J. Gregory, who served in the legislature (she died November
25, 1856); Thomas Jr., born October 15, 1838; John H., born October 15, 1838,
served one term as sheriff of Merced County; Mary R., born October 30, 1840,
married E. E. Thrift of Stockton; and Samuel L., our subject and the only one of
the family now living.
It was on December 24, 1852, that the Givens family left their home in
the Eastern States and started for California, reaching New Orleans on January
1, 1853, from which port they embarked on board the Pampero for Greytown, which
they reached twelve days later. They crossed the Isthmus on the backs of mules
and then took passage on the Brother Jonathan for San Francisco, reaching that
city on February 2. The Brother Jonathan disappeared on its next trip and was
never heard from again. The family proceeded to Mariposa County by way of
Stockton on the mail stage and arrived at their destination in due time over
some very bad roads, as it was a wet season. Mr. Givens bought the possessory
rights of the Texas Ranch, comprising 1040 acres, which ranch is now owned by
our subject. Here the father died on September 12, 1860.
Samuel L. Givens was educated in the pay schools of Mariposa County,
attending about four months each year, and finished with a course at the
University of the Pacific at San Jose. His schooling over, he returned to the
home ranch and remained until 1869 and then engaged in running stock into Inyo
County until 1876. In 1878 he bought the ranch he now owns in Merced County,
known as the M. O. Barber ranch, on Bear Creek, upon which he has since lived.
This ranch comprises some 520 acres, which has been devoted to grain and
stock-raising; in addition he has been a large leasor of land for stock
purposes.
Mr. Givens has been closely allied with all movements for the upbuilding
of this part of the county and has maintained his interest in the events of the
period, keeping abreast of the times by observation and reading. In politics he
is a Democrat. Since his retirement the ranch has been managed by his son
Archibald, who is an only child, and who has been given the best of educational
advantages.
On December 20, 1877, in Mariposa County, Mr. Givens was united in
marriage with Miss Susan Lurana Wills, a native of Mariposa County, born
December 9, 1855, a daughter of Benjamin Wills, a native of Alabama, who married
Miss Amanda Cathey. Mr. Wills made his first trip to the Golden State in 1849,
and afterwards he went back East for his family. Mr. and Mrs. Givens have one
son, Archibald, who married Miss Virginia McReynolds of Santa Rosa; and they
have a daughter, Virginia Lurana.
On Mr. Givens' ranch stands an orange tree, a seedling grown from a seed
of an orange which Mrs. Givens obtained when she was coming across the Isthmus
of Panama in 1853, and which she planted seventy-five years ago on their Texas
Ranch in Mariposa County. In 1900 the tree was moved to the ranch of our
subject, and still bears a bountiful crop each year.
History of Merced County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co., 1925
page 427-428